*When I was in these parts in May last, I had an opportunity of learning many of the customs of the Indians: I then travelling more than an hundred and thirty miles upon the river above the English settlements; and had in that journey a view of persons of seven or eight distinct tribes, speaking so many different languages. But of all the sights I ever saw among them, none appeared so near a-kin to what is usually imagined of infernal powers, as the appearance of one who was a devout and zealous reformer, or rather restorer, of what he supposed was the ancient religion of the Indians. He made his appearance in his [♦]pontifical garb, which was a coat of bear skins, dressed with the hair on, and hanging down to his toes, a pair of bear-skin stockings, and a great wooden face, painted the one half black and the other tawny, about the colour of an Indian’s skin, with an extravagant mouth, cut very much awry; the face fastened to a bear-skin cap, which was drawn over his head. He advanced toward me with the instrument in his hand that he used for music in his idolatrous worship which was a dry tortoise-shell, with some corn in it, and the neck of it drawn on a piece of wood, which made a very convenient handle. As he came forward, he beat his tune with the rattle, and danced with all his might, but did not suffer any part of his body, not so much as his fingers, to be seen: and no man would have guessed, by his appearance, that he could have been a human creature. When he came near me, I could not but shrink away from him, although it was then noon day, and I knew who it was. He had a house consecrated to religious uses, with divers images cut out upon the several parts of it; I went in and found the ground beat almost as hard as a rock with their frequent dancing.—I discoursed with him about Christianity, and some of my discourse he seemed to like, but some of it he disliked entirely. He told me that God had taught him his religion, and that he never would turn from it, but wanted to find some that would join heartily with him in it; for the Indians, he said, were grown very degenerate. He had thoughts, he said, of leaving all his friends, and travelling abroad, in order to find some that would join with him; for he believed God had some good people some where, that felt as he did. He had not always, he said, felt as he now did, but had formerly been like the rest of the Indians, until about four or five years ago: then, he said, his heart was very much distressed, so that he could not live among the Indians, but got away into the woods, and lived alone for some months. At length, he says, God shewed him what he should do; and since that time he had known God, and tried to serve him; and loved all men, be they who they would, so as he never did before.—He treated me with uncommon courtesy, and seemed to be hearty in it.——And I was told by the Indians, that he opposed their drinking strong liquor with all his power; and if at any time he could not dissuade them from it, he would leave them, and go crying into the woods. It was manifest he had a set of religious notions that he had looked into for himself, and not taken for granted upon bare tradition; and he relished or disrelished whatever was spoken of a religious nature, according as it either agreed or disagreed with his standard. And while I was discoursing he would sometimes say, “Now that I like: so God has taught me.” And some of his sentiments seemed very just. Yet he utterly denied the being of a devil, and declared there was no such creature known among the Indians of old times. He likewise told me, that departed souls all went southward, and that the difference between the good and bad was this, that the former were admitted into a beautiful town with spiritual walls, or walls agreeable to the nature of souls; and that the latter would for ever hover round those walls, and in vain attempt to get in. He seemed to be sincere, honest, and conscientious in his own way, which was more than I ever saw in any other Pagan; and I perceived he was derided among most of the Indians as a precise zealot. I must say, there was something in his temper that looked more like true religion than any thing I ever observed among other Heathens.
[♦] “pontificial” replaced with “pontifical”
September 22. I made some further attempts to instruct the Indians on this island, but all to no purpose. They live so near the white people, that they are always in the way of strong liquor, as well as the ill examples of nominal Christians; which renders it unspeakably [♦]difficult to treat with them about Christianity.
[♦] “diffcult” replaced with “difficult”
[On Monday, September 23. He left the Indians, in order to his return to the Forks of Delaware, in a very weak state of body, and under dejection of mind, which continued the two first days of his journey.]
Thursday, September 26. I was still much disordered in body, and able to ride but slowly, I continued my journey however. Near night I arrived at the Irish settlement, about fifteen miles from mine own house. This day I was much exercised with a sense of my barrenness: and verily thought, there was no creature that had any true grace, but what was more spiritual and fruitful than I: I could not think that any of God’s children made so poor a hand of living to God as I.
Forks of Delaware.
October 1. I discoursed to the Indians here, and afterwards invited them to follow me to Crosweeksung as soon as their conveniency would admit; which invitation sundry of them chearfully accepted.
Saturday, October 5. I preached at Crosweeksung, from John xiv. 1–6. The divine presence seemed to be in the assembly. Numbers were affected, and some comforted.
O what a difference is there between these and the Indians upon Susquahannah! To be with those seemed like being banished from God and all his people; to be with these like being admitted into his family, and to the enjoyment of his presence! How great is the change made upon these Indians, who not many months ago were as averse to Christianity, as those upon Susquahannah!